Your unpopular (non-political, non-offensive) opinions!

[Bombastinator]

4 hours ago, Bitter said:

You need to slow down if you can't see ahead far enough at night to avoid things in time. Look at some time distance figures and reaction time statistics and determine what speed you should be driving.

Headlights even good ones don’t go very far if they’re not set to high beams.  High beams might have short circuited that one but I was inside a fricken city.  High beams are for when you’re out alone on a rural freeway. I’ve never had to turn them on in a city unless I’m using them as a communication device to annoy the car that just cut me off. 
By your system no one should drive faster than maybe 15mph at night.  It’s not reasonable.  There are streetlights sufficient to do what is needed on all major streets.  Except apparently there. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Bitter]

3 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

Headlights even good ones don’t go very far if they’re not set to high beams.  High beams might have short circuited that one but I was inside a fricken city.  High beams are for when you’re out alone on a rural freeway. I’ve never had to turn them on in a city unless I’m using them as a communication device to annoy the car that just cut me off. 
By your system no one should drive faster than maybe 15mph at night.  It’s not reasonable.  There are streetlights sufficient to do what is needed on all major streets.  Except apparently there. 

No, not 15mph but maybe in your case with such poor lights...

Low beams should light about 300ft ahead of you, 60mph is 88 feet per second, giving you about 3.5 seconds of time to react from seeing something to being on top of something. Unless your lights are so poor you've got less than 300ft visibility, your reaction time was soo poor that 3.5 seconds was too little, or your speed was so great that you lacked sufficient time to react, then you should have been fine. I suspect your speed was greater than your reaction time distance due to poor headlights, you should fix that or you should slow down at night to have an appropriate distance in which to react with enough time to not run into things. It's not rocket surgery.

[Bombastinator]

2 minutes ago, Bitter said:

No, not 15mph but maybe in your case with such poor lights...

Low beams should light about 300ft ahead of you, 60mph is 88 feet per second, giving you about 3.5 seconds of time to react from seeing something to being on top of something. Unless your lights are so poor you've got less than 300ft visibility, your reaction time was soo poor that 3.5 seconds was too little, or your speed was so great that you lacked sufficient time to react, then you should have been fine. I suspect your speed was greater than your reaction time distance due to poor headlights, you should fix that or you should slow down at night to have an appropriate distance in which to react with enough time to not run into things. It's not rocket surgery.

They’re DOT certified so they can’t be that bad.  I couldn’t even tell there was a roundabout there.  It looked like road. My reaction time has never been great but it’s not 3.5 seconds.  I’m not an arctic deep water shark or anything. Even they’ve got reaction times better than that. Veiled accusations of “you should stop driving entirely to save my theory about need for electricity being the best thing about roundabouts” not only doesn’t hold water but won’t happen.  At least not for a few more years.  I don’t live very near a bus line, so you’re also saying “oh, and sell your house” 

[Bitter]

20 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

They’re DOT certified so they can’t be that bad.  I couldn’t even tell there was a roundabout there.  It looked like road. My reaction time has never been great but it’s not 3.5 seconds.  I’m not an arctic deep water shark or anything. Even they’ve got reaction times better than that. Veiled accusations of “you should stop driving entirely to save my theory about need for electricity being the best thing about roundabouts” not only doesn’t hold water but won’t happen.  At least not for a few more years.  I don’t live very near a bus line, so you’re also saying “oh, and sell your house” 

Oh boy 'DOT certified' is a whole huge rabbit hole. Did you know that almost every non OEM headlamp fails to meet FMSS photometric testing despite having DOT markings? DOT markings are a mess, you only need to copy the approved design to have the ability to put DOT on them. DOT does not test lamps, DOT approves the OEM design meets minimum standards as set forth in FMSS based on what the manufacturer says, what happens after that when headlamps are poorly copied is basically unregulated. When it comes to non OE designs it's up to the maker of the headlamp to self certify to DOT that their light meets FMSS guidelines and is legal but I bet you can see what's the weak link in this chain... https://www.capacertified.org/uploads/2015/01/CAPALighting2.pdf

If your headlamps are poor quality non OE parts or even "good" quality non OE (like NSF or CAPA certified) they probably are not lighting the road properly at all which is probably why you can't see anything in the dark. Also probably why you should just slow down a little more when it's dark and/or you're in unfamiliar areas. There's nothing wrong with being cautious.

[Bombastinator]

6 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Oh boy 'DOT certified' is a whole huge rabbit hole. Did you know that almost every non OEM headlamp fails to meet FMSS photometric testing despite having DOT markings? DOT markings are a mess, you only need to copy the approved design to have the ability to put DOT on them. DOT does not test lamps, DOT approves the OEM design meets minimum standards as set forth in FMSS based on what the manufacturer says, what happens after that when headlamps are poorly copied is basically unregulated. When it comes to non OE designs it's up to the maker of the headlamp to self certify to DOT that their light meets FMSS guidelines and is legal but I bet you can see what's the weak link in this chain... https://www.capacertified.org/uploads/2015/01/CAPALighting2.pdf

If your headlamps are poor quality non OE parts or even "good" quality non OE (like NSF or CAPA certified) they probably are not lighting the road properly at all which is probably why you can't see anything in the dark. Also probably why you should just slow down a little more when it's dark and/or you're in unfamiliar areas. There's nothing wrong with being cautious.

They’re not aftermarket headlights. They’re OE. One is very possibly badly aimed though.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Bitter]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

They’re not aftermarket headlights. They’re OE. 

Are they properly aimed? Are the lenses hazed? Are the bulbs aged and have suffered lumen loss? Are the wiring and connectors in good condition with minimal voltage drop?

Aim makes a huge difference
Clear lenses make a huge difference

Bulb age makes a large difference with some halogen bulbs suffering upto 20% light output loss as they age and HID bulbs dropping over 1/2 of their output as they age

Voltage drop on power, ground, or both sides of the circuit reduces voltage which also substantially cuts light output.

[Bombastinator]

4 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Are they properly aimed? Are the lenses hazed? Are the bulbs aged and have suffered lumen loss? Are the wiring and connectors in good condition with minimal voltage drop?

Aim makes a huge difference
Clear lenses make a huge difference

Bulb age makes a large difference with some halogen bulbs suffering upto 20% light output loss as they age and HID bulbs dropping over 1/2 of their output as they age

Voltage drop on power, ground, or both sides of the circuit reduces voltage which also substantially cuts light output.

It’s a 2019 Nissan Leaf se so there can’t be that much age.  The left one could very possibly be badly aimed.  I did a quick test on my garage door and it didn’t seem too off but that isn’t a great test.  I did not check the headlight aiming when I bought the thing.  I suppose I can do that.

[mapegl]

I did more for the environment with my 18 year-old Golf diesel than all those who constantly get the latest and greatest with better emissions, mileage etc.

 

[Bombastinator]

8 hours ago, mapegl said:

I did more for the environment with my 18 year-old Golf diesel than all those who constantly get the latest and greatest with better emissions, mileage etc.

 

I used to drive a rabbit diesel.  My dad bought it from a car show in the 70’s back when they only came in one color: putty.  God knows why they picked that. Germans.  Had around 50hp.  Wound out around 70 some.  Flirted with 80 but never quite got there. Top gear pedal mashed with a tailwind.  The thing was terrifying to merge with.  No acceleration to speak of.  That over seventy took like 20 minutes.  What was great about it was even though it was slower than dirt, it ran on an old style diesel engine like semi trucks.  You know how they belch black smoke when they accelerate? It did that.  Stuff stank too.  It was best when the honker had an open window.  Then they got the full effect.  So not only were they rewarded for their honking with a totally opaque black cloud, but it would stink up their car for hours.  It was like driving a skunk.  I’m not at all sure that thing put out even close to what would be legal emissions now.  I understand they made those engines illegal. 50+ mpg in the 70’s though.  And back then diesel was cheaper than gas not more expensive like it is now.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Donut417]

7 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

So not only were they rewarded for their honking with a totally opaque black cloud,

I think they call that rolling coal now days. I know some people get their diesel pickup trucks modified to by pass the emissions on demand to do this. It’s highly illegal and you are generally ticketed if caught. 

[Bombastinator]

31 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

I think they call that rolling coal now days. I know some people get their diesel pickup trucks modified to by pass the emissions on demand to do this. It’s highly illegal and you are generally ticketed if caught. 

That makes sense.  Also smelled like it.  Seems a strange thing to do nowadays though (as if it wasn’t back then) diesels still don’t have much acceleration (though mine was worse) but they can at least get out of their own way, which that car had trouble with.

[Bombastinator]

8 hours ago, mapegl said:

I did more for the environment with my 18 year-old Golf diesel than all those who constantly get the latest and greatest with better emissions, mileage etc.

 

Wasn’t that near the time Volkswagen was caught fudging emissions? They might not have been as great as you thought they were.

[mapegl]

38 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Wasn’t that near the time Volkswagen was caught fudging emissions? They might not have been as great as you thought they were.

It is well before that and i have the last actual Audi Turbo Diesel in my car, not the new common rails (also turbo, but different from the old school Audi tech)

 

However, my opinion is more so based on the fact that production of a vehicle is very costly in terms of energy. Therefore, one has to take the CO2 emissions of the actual production into account and after a vehicle has been produced it is usually better for the environment to use it instead of making a new one. The threshold for my car was around 250.000km and I just cracked that...

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, mapegl said:

It is well before that and i have the last actual Audi Turbo Diesel in my car, not the new common rails (also turbo, but different from the old school Audi tech)

 

However, my opinion is more so based on the fact that production of a vehicle is very costly in terms of energy. Therefore, one has to take the CO2 emissions of the actual production into account and after a vehicle has been produced it is usually better for the environment to use it instead of making a new one. The threshold for my car was around 250.000km and I just cracked that...

I had a type4 GTI.  The things were famous for eating a turbo every 60k so I got rid of it at 58k. Otherwise an amazing engine 100hp/litre

[IkeaGnome]

5 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

That makes sense.  Also smelled like it.  Seems a strange thing to do nowadays though (as if it wasn’t back then) diesels still don’t have much acceleration (though mine was worse) but they can at least get out of their own way, which that car had trouble with.

My 05 LLY was a lot of fun..Until it wasn't anymore.

Spoiler

 

Turns out an aftermarket transmission brace on an Allison 1000 is a bit important once you get over the 750 or so horsepower point.

Spoiler

I had just rebuilt the transmission, went to go break it in before the brace showed up. Snapped the bellhousing in two. Snapped my crank between cylinders 7 and 8.

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, IkeaGnome said:

My 05 LLY was a lot of fun..Until it wasn't anymore.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Turns out an aftermarket transmission brace on an Allison 1000 is a bit important once you get over the 750 or so horsepower point.

  Reveal hidden contents

I had just rebuilt the transmission, went to go break it in before the brace showed up. Snapped the bellhousing in two. Snapped my crank between cylinders 7 and 8.

Also: just because a carbon fiber drive shaft doesn’t break under a given horsepower load doesn’t mean it won’t wrap itself up like a pretzel.  
 

Cars die.  I think my step-brother eventually wrapped the thing around a rather large oak tree. Both he and the tree lived, but the rabbit wasn’t even good for parts anymore.  Looked like a wad of gum.

[Tan3l6]

I don't like socio- nor phychopaths on the internet. Actally come to think of it, neither in real life.

[IPD]

37 minutes ago, Tan3l6 said:

I don't like socio- nor phychopaths on the internet. Actally come to think of it, neither i real life.

I wonder of psychopaths actually engage in this medium much...at least in the traditional social ways.

[Tan3l6]

4 hours ago, IPD said:

I wonder of psychopaths actually engage in this medium much...at least in the traditional social ways.

Perhaps psychopaths tend to avoid the social engagement, but there is statistics that tend to note that sociopathy is somewhat more common in high level business leaders.

Not all sociopaths are murderous lunatics should be mentioned tohugh. And also not all business leaders are more likely sociopaths, not psychopaths.

[IPD]

Here's 2 good vids I've watched on the topic:

 

 

 

TLDR gist is that psychopaths usually have a biological defect and a lack of morality.  Sociopaths usually have a traumatic upbringing an a warped sense of morality. 

[Tan3l6]

31 minutes ago, IPD said:

TLDR gist is that psychopaths usually have a biological defect and a lack of morality.  Sociopaths usually have a traumatic upbringing an a warped sense of morality. 

Scary is that it's impossible to tell if a person is sociopath or psychopath after just meeting them either in reall ife or internet. 

I'm sure that I know one psychopath or sociopath in Discord, but there's nothing to do just to know that the person is "bad".

[IPD]

Well IRL, you could probably tell a psychopath.  They just tend to act different.  They lack basic mental constructs which would enable them to blend seamlessly into society.

 

Sociopaths are those who are able to hide their true natures, because they have those constructs--albeit warped perversions of them.

 

At least that's my take.  "American Psycho" was a depiction of a sociopath, not a psychopath, imho.

[Tan3l6]

31 minutes ago, IPD said:

They just tend to act different.  They lack basic mental constructs which would enable them to blend seamlessly into society.

Yeah, I think person who constantly adds stuffed animal parts (carcasses) to a thread titled "cat pics", and is not really corrected at all, seems a bit like sociopath who just likes attention.

I mean the stuffed animals are not including always all body parts. And the guy is adding the photos for a while now... what would be the motivation?

The videos you added are really good by the way.

[IPD]

Well online, someone's freak flag may be flying, and they may not care about the negative ramifications from that.  IRL, they may tend to be more reserved, as they do not want their debauchery alerting someone to their scent.

[kasugatei]

Unpopular opinion:

This topic should not have lengthy discussions about someone’s unpopular opinion. Going through pages to find another person’s new “unpopular opinion” is tiresome.